Family trip to Washington DC in May. DC residents... tell me what out of the way places

[Windy]

sites, restaurants etc that are a must. Thanks!!!!

P.S. I don't have any little kids. My son is going with me but he is 21

[TZ]

1. What do you find interesting? Like to do, eat etc..

So much to do here...

[Windy]

10. We are history buffs, so all museums are a must. We have heard great things about the spy museum

As far as food, we like to experiment. Looks like there are a lot of great suggestions here! Thanks and keep em coming

[Lilith Velkor]

18. Across the street from the Spy Museum is the National Portrait Gallery

They have the official portraits of every U.S. President, and tons of others, including Stephen Colbert. It rocks, and I can hardly wait to visit again.

[TZ]

20. I was going to suggest the Spy museum myself its a blast.

And the Museum of American History was recently renovated and is supposed to be very good. Also...I would suggest the Air and Space museum annex at Dulles Airport...And go to a movie at one of the Smithsonians Imax museum..either Air and Space or Natural History..well worth it!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

2. If you are willing to go down to Southern Maryland, try Solomons.

Pretty little fishing town at the mouth of the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay.

[Windy]

26. We will check that out. Thanks! nt

[Arugula Latte]

3. (I'm a former resident.) We liked the Tabard Inn -- a very old, historic, cozy restaurant

It's near Dupont Circle

http://www.washingtonian.com/restaurantreviews/978.html

[LynneSin]

4. If you like Sushi then go to Wasabi - it's near the White House

they roll out the sushi on a conveyor belt and you pick the things you want to eat. It's all fresh and you're charged by the plate color your sushi came out on.

Be careful though - the stuff was amazing and I ended up eating $50 in one sitting.

[Windy]

25. sounds great! n/t

[taterguy]

5. C&O Canal, especially Great Falls

[Windy]

27. thats a new one. I've never heard of that. I'll look it up.,

[taterguy]

28. It's a 184 mile multi-use trail that goes from Georgetown to Harpers Ferry

Runs next to the Potomac River. Great views, especially at Great Falls which is about half an hour out of the city

[seemunkee]

6. Ben's Chili bowl after jazz at Bohemian Caverns

Eastern Market then walk to Library of Congress and the Capital
Best Smithsonian cafeteria is the one at the Museum of the American Indian
Good Ethiopian in Adams Morgan
Pizza Paradiso in Georgetown
Walk from Lincoln memorial to WWII->Vietnam memorial -> Korean War memorial -> Washington Monument

[Windy]

11. Sounds perfect. Ben's was already on my list but Jazz sounds just fantastic

I'm printing all of these out!

[charlie and algernon]

24. I second Bohemian Caverns

I've caught two jazz performances there and had a blast. The first floor is a beautiful restaurant and the jazz part is in the basement. They did up the basement to look like you're in a cave with rock formations covering the walls.

[MountainLaurel]

7. A cool restaurant zone

Is in the Glover Park area north of Georgetown. My favorites: Heritage India, Rockland's BBQ, and Cafe Deluxe, which was our favorite local place for well-done comfort food.

[Windy]

13. great! Thanks! n/t

[arcadian]

8. Check out Embassy Row

It's pretty cool. Awesome architecture and tourists don't go there. Up from Georgetown on Wisconsin you check out the FBIs spy house. It's right across the street from the Russian Embassy entrance. There is a vacant lot and the spy house is the house next to the vacant lot. In the attic there are three skylights. The FBI has cameras trained on the entrance of Embassy using these skylights. It's way cooler than the canned stuff they serve up at the Int'l Spy Museum.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

9. Spy Museum is a must

also the 3D movies at the Air and Space Museum

To eat - The Old Ebbit Grill near the Treasury.

[Windy]

14. I have heard that you should purchase tickets in advance for the spy museum.

Is that true?

[TZ]

22. Yes. You go in timed groups of people.

So you might want to buy a few hours of advance when you want to tour. Also if you want to go to the National Holocaust museum (well worth it) you need to get the free tickets in advance as well..

[Initech]

21. Yeah I went there last year. Pretty bad ass if you ask me.

Also check out the International Crime And Punishment museum across the street so if you get caught and tried for treason, you know where you're going.

I went to Old Ebbit's while I was there, that place was fuckin' awesome.

[DFW]

12. Two things you MUST NOT miss (I grew up there)

The old Library of Congress building. It's like a free trip to a palace in
1850s Europe! Get a tour. It's quick, cheap and you will not believe you're
in North America.

To eat--forget EVERY other recommendation you get here. My friend Helen Thomas
has a place near where she lives. She took us there recently, and it THE secret
tip for Washington DC. It's a Lebanese restaurant called Mama Ayesha's. It's on
Calvert Street, off of Connecticut Avenue near the Omni Shoreham. Helen still
eats there regularly, too, and you might even see her there if you're lucky. By
the way, if you do see her, go up and say hi. She isn't at all pompous and will be
glad to say hi. The décor is straight out of 1890s Beirut and the food is from heaven.

If by any chance you're from Arizona's 8th district, get back with me for another tip.

[Windy]

15. Thank you for the tip. We are big fans of Lebanese cuisine and seeing Helen would be wonderful! nt

[Windy]

16. does anyone know if you can add on to a WH tour if you don't have a group of 10?

We really want to go on a tour, but we are only a group of 3...

[Windy]

17. Thank you everyone! keep em coming!! Great information! nt

[Initech]

19. If you see a place called Fast Eddie's avoid it like the plague.

The food was decent enough but holy shit the service is the slowest of any restaurant I've ever been to. Dont go there if you're really hungry.

[Bertha Venation]

23. Mike's American Grill in Springfield or Carlyle in Shirlington.

Both in Virginia, not too far from DC. Owned by the same company, Great American Restaurants. Excellent food, excellent service. Mike's is my favorite.

[LibertyLover]

29. Don't forget to come to Annapolis!

We have the Naval Academy, some very cool old houses and an interesting state capital building. A few miles from Annapolis is Londontown, an interesting site with an old colonial inn, the Surly Mermaid. You can eat and drink at Middleton's Tavern just off City Dock. And yes, George Washington really DID sleep there. And if you go up to Baltimore, try the Hon Cafe, for a true taste of old fashioned Baltimore; beehive hairdos are optional but a sense of fun isn't.

[greatauntoftriplets]

30. Two restaurants that I can recommend because I ate at both when I visited the DC area last October.

Miss Saigon in Georgetown at 3057 M St NW. They apparently don't have a website, but the food was fantastic.

Then there's Sticky Rice. Your son will love the trendy young crowd that goes there. It's near Gaulladet University and there were several groups in there signing to each other. This boomer found it very cool.

http://www.stickyricedc.com/

I think you've been brought up to date in this thread on places to sightsee. I live in the Chicago area, but really love DC.

Have a great trip.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

31. Don't miss the Air and Space Museum -

http://www.nasm.si.edu/

and the National Museum of the American Indian. http://www.nmai.si.edu/

The restaurant in the American Indian Museum is unbelievable. You'll flip. It's just wonderful.

Also, of course, the Holocaust Museum, but don't plan on doing anything else afterwards except, maybe, dinner. http://www.ushmm.org/

You want to hit the National Archives on Constitution Avenue. Some wondrous sights to behold in there. http://www.archives.gov/

There is, naturally, the Lincoln Memorial, but, while you're there, you'll want to walk across the parking lot to the Vietnam Wall. This happens to be my favorite place in DC (and I've lived here since 1973). Go at night, if you can - it's a completely different experience from the daytime. Powerful. Dramatic. Heartbreaking. You'll encounter all sorts of people there, and see the things they leave behind. It's an amazing place.

If you have a chance at the Wall, talk to one of the Park Police. They tell wonderful stories.

As for food, you've got some good suggestions, but when you're at the National Portrait Gallery - a must-see, really, just re-opened after a fabulous renovation - walk a bit north to Chinatown, and dine at Full Kee, which has genuine Hong Kong cuisine. Ask the server for help, be adventurous, don't miss the snow pea shoots with garlic (a seasonal specialty and divine), and remember that their roast duck and roast pork are excellent. Everything there is excellent. A real down-home Chinese place.

Here's their menu, just to prime your pump: http://www.fullkeedc.com/

If you're here on a weekend, you might want to take a jaunt to Eastern Market - it's a local institution, and quite wonderful: http://www.easternmarketdc.com/

Enjoy your visit to my beloved Washington, DC. It's a grand place, and keep in mind that all the museums are FREE!! That's about the best use of our tax dollars that I can imagine.